When Arushi reached home, she looked at her mom and dad's garlanded pictures. Her thoughts went to them instantly. Madhu comes near her and touches her fondly. She knew what had happened as Jia, who arrived a bit earlier had told everything about Aarav to her. Arushi looked at her with a saddened face,
"Aunty, if mom and dad were with me now, then I would have been much better than this, right" she said looking at Madhu as the thought of working under Aarav is taking a toll on her.
Madhu clearly knows that this new issue is bothering her a lot. She just hugs and makes Arushi to rest her head on her shoulder. Jia watched her friend with worried eyes.
"I think I should remove these snaps from here" saying this, Madhu frees her and gets down to work immediately. "Aunty, no" Arushi's plead went in vain as Madhu succeeded in her task.
"I should have done this a long time ago" with a satisfied look Madhu sits with our wide eyed Arushi. "Aunty" she addressed her blankly. "All for good, don't worry about it, they are still around you" Madhu cupped her cheek and said affectionately.
Arushi couldn't utter anything as she too knows it very well that somehow she would be better without looking at them every day. She can get over this and stay strong as they are in her heart. With a deep sigh she looked at Jia, who looked at her with a soft smile and nodded her assuringly. Sometimes words seemed useless.
Madhu felt relieved that at least she's quiet and didn't argue for that.
After dinner, Arushi picks her files and starts to go through it. Jia felt sad by looking at her. She stayed with her for a while by convincing her that she's sleepless. But eventually she went to sleep and when she woke up with a jerk and watched the time, it showed 2.30am.
Suddenly, she thought of Arushi and came to her room. There Arushi was so lost in those files and seemed very exhausted. Jia sighed and left to kitchen. After few minutes, she came with two cups of hot tea.
Arushi looked at her with sleepy eyes. But when Jia extended a cup to her, she was more than happy and hugged her friend instantly.
With a giggle, Jia signaled her to have it. Arushi sipped it with a hum, then finished her files and went to sleep at around 3am. Jia touched her forehead fondly and left her room with the cups.
There, Aarav was so glad that his plan is going to be a success. He thought about the ways of torturing her, so that she can apologize to him on her own. He really had a victorious smile thinking that she would be so awake by going through those files.
But when he thought to sleep, her face flashed instantly, making him to turn and toss with closed eyes. Then finally, when he checked the time it showed 3 in the morning. "Damn it, I thought to make her sleepless, but now, I couldn't sleep" he cursed furiously. He didn't know why she's bothering him that much. "Arushi, you will pay for this too" saying this aloud with gritted teeth he finally let the sleep take him to its place.
"Arushi" hearing her name, she woke with a jerk. There Jia stood with a relieved sigh as she had woken her finally.
"Jia, What is it" she said rubbing her eyes and relaxed a bit due to her sudden wake up.
"Arushi, its 7am yaar" Arushi can clearly see the concerned look given by Jia.
"What" saying this she stood on her bed in shock.
"Yes" Jia nodded her head in confirmation.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier" Arushi uttered with panic filled voice and got down from the bed while rubbing her temple which is throbbing in pain.
"What… go and ask Aunty, she will tell you for how long am trying to wake you" Jia kept her hands on her hips as if they are ready to argue further.
"Am tired yaar, oh god, he will come sharply" Arushi said with a defeated tone and started to bite her nails.
Jia really felt for her and hugged her fondly saying "nothing to worry yaar, I know you are tired, go and get ready" she relieved her from the hug and continued "today I will drive the scooty" with a cute smile.
"Okay" with a pout Arushi went to get bath.
Arushi didn't even have her breakfast properly. She ate here and there and waved bye to Aunty. Both Arushi and Jia reached the office by 8.30am. Arushi took a breath in relief. She kept everything ready in his cabin and reached her cubical. She sat, prayed hardly and then checked her files.
Suddenly on hearing his voice, she stood and said "Good morning Sir" with a bright smile just like the one she always does with Harish. But he was actually speaking in his Bluetooth and for a fraction of seconds, he actually forgot where he was as she looked so pretty and decent in her long skirt and top.
Then the voice in his ear made him jerk a bit and he came back to sense saying "Yeah". Arushi looked tense as she thought he's going to yell at her. But he silently threw a glance at her again and took the stairs.
Arushi blinked her eyes not knowing whether to smile, as he didn't scolded her, or to cry, thinking what to expect next. Adi and Arjun came towards her and waved their hands in front of her. "Hey" they said together. She smiled looking at them.
"Whatever happens today, just keep that smile, okay" saying this Adi winked at her in a friendly way while she nodded with her smile.
"Stay strong" Arjun tapped her shoulder gently and they moved to their cabins.
Harish and Arun had already left to Mumbai, early in the morning. Arun has already told Jia to help Adi for these three days. She's literally in cloud nine, just opposite to Arushi's condition.
Aarav watched her from his cabin. When she sat in her chair with a sigh, he smiled wickedly. "Arushi, your time starts now" muttering this, he picked his intercom. "With those files, to my cabin, now" she can hear that "now" without the intercom as he has yelled so loudly. Everyone, genuinely worried about her.
Setting down that intercom, she picked those files and ran towards his cabin. She knocked and finally entered the lion's cage.
He gazed at her from head to toe with a smirk. Her lips went thin in anger as she had no ways now to stop him doing that. He extended his hand saying "Files" while sitting in his chair in a calm posture.
She moved a bit towards him to hand over the files. When she was about to give he said "Keep it with you". She had a confused look, thinking if he didn't want those files then why the hell did he extended his hand.
Her thoughts were interrupted by his stern voice "Make a power point presentation for each file. I need it within an hour". She looked at him. "Am sure an hour is enough for you, as you must have gone through those files, did you" he taunted her. She sucked her breath saying "Yes Sir". "Then leave" he just waved at her with an emotionless stare as if she's some dirt.
She didn't need him to say it again as she turned and marched out furiously. "Arushi, be strong, you can do this" she tried to calm herself.
She reached her cubical and started to work while simultaneously checking the time. He stared at her from his cabin thinking "Wow, this is going to be pretty interesting" he smirked.
Within an hour, she knocked his cabin with her presentation. She entered after hearing his voice. She gave the details about the location of her presentation and waited for him to check.
He went through that in his laptop and he was quite impressed with her work as it was so apt. But his brain smirked with another plan. He started to shout at her saying "What is this Arushi, have you checked these figures" he was harsh while she said calmly "Yes Sir".
"Well I don't think so, check these figures again" he was furious as she held her ground saying "But Sir, I…"
"Why the hell you still standing here, I said go, go and check with those files" he yelled without letting her finish her statement. She flinched at his rude behavior as Harish has never treated her like that. But she didn��t let him see that and moved to her cubicle.
Actually Aarav liked her presentation and so saved it secretly. When she sat in her cubicle to check with those files, Aarav waited for it and the next moment her intercom conveyed "Bring that file to my cabin".
Without much choice, she hurried to him with that file. After getting that file, he blankly said "I don't like this background color, try some other". She nodded and came to her cabin. She tried with different colors. Her intercom said "Have you finished".
She went and showed him the slides with different backgrounds. He simply said "You can go now" without even looking at her. She came back and sat.
Next second "Who will get this file" boomed his voice through her intercom. Again she ran and got the file and came to her place. Everyone is just watching her helplessly and felt pity for her.
"Bring that 3rd one" she ran and stood before him while panting heavily. "I don't want this file, get that 5th one" this time she ran and stood with all the files. "Sir which one you want" she said calmly though she's annoyed by his behavior.
"Do you think you are smart" he looked at her. She was so furious that she didn't even want to reply him. "Go" he said after picking a file from her. But instead she waited there. He noticed her and irritatingly uttered "What".
"Nothing Sir, just thought you will remember something" She said coolly while indirectly mocking his recent behavior.
Suddenly she got nervous when Aarav stood and marched towards her. With a smirk he closed the gap between them. When Arushi realized his sudden approach, she tried to move back but in doing so, she unknowingly hit a couch and fell on that.
She was literally shaking now as he leaned towards her by holding the couch. "Are we paying to you for just standing in my cabin" he said looking straight in her eyes. She nodded instantly like "No".
He then straightened and yelled "Then go". Arushi tried to compose herself. She finally got up and ran out of his cabin while breathing heavily which she had held a while ago.
He turned and unknowingly his lips curved into a small smile. When he heard the knock, he steadied himself with a cold expression. There Arushi stood and said "Files" pointing them where she has dropped them when she fell on the couch. Before he could say anything she hurriedly collected them and left his cabin.